History of Dinton Castle

Dinton Castle (also known as Dinton Folly) was built by Sir John Van Hatten (1724-1787) of Dinton Hall in 1769 as an eye-catcher, banqueting house, and showcase for his collection of ammonite fossils embedded in the limestone walls. The castle is located next to the site of an Anglo Saxon burial ground, and during the building works a large number of human remains and ancient artefacts were unearthed, generating much excitement amongst the antiquarian community.

The original structure contained 3 simple timber floors. A catastrophic fire at around 1800 destroyed the wooden interior, triggering a cycle of decline. The castle lay abandoned for nearly 200 years, as the weather continued to damage every part of building. Dinton Castle’s importance was recognised in 1951 when it was first listed as a building of special architectural and historic interest, but the structure continued to crumble. In 2011, Aylesbury Council intervened to rescue the building from total collapse, adding a ring beam of red brick to strengthen the walls.

In 2016, the site was purchased by Spanish architect Jaime Fernandez, who set out to transform the ruin into a stunning two bedroom home, giving it a new lease of life and ensuring its long-term survival as a well-loved local landmark and unique Heritage Asset. The end result is a charming and delightful miniature castle, showcased by Channel 4's ‘Grand Designs’ in 2018.